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Road Accidents
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents involving under-age drivers occurred (a) in the Greater Manchester area and (b) nationally during each of the past three years; and how many fatalities resulted from such accidents. [36265]
10 Jul 1996 : Column: 205
Mr. Norris: The information is shown in the following tables.
| Severity | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fatal | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Serious | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Slight | 23 | 20 | 20 |
| All severities | 27 | 24 | 26 |
(7) Car drivers aged 0-16 years old.
(8) Car drivers aged 0-16 years old.
(9) Car drivers aged 0-16 years old.
(10) Car drivers age 0-16 years old.
Sir Robert Hicks:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the control of development adjacent to trunk roads; and if he will make a statement. [37120]
Mr. Watts:
Good communications are vital to the economy. It is therefore important that trunk roads continue to meet their prime function of catering for long distance through traffic. We will ensure that they do so by maintaining strict control of new accesses to them. This applies particularly to motorways--where we will continue to consider new access only for motorway service areas, maintenance compounds and major transport centres such as airports--and to high standard rural trunk roads of strategic importance.
10 Jul 1996 : Column: 206
Where new or modified accesses from trunk roads to new development are allowed, or where the traffic demands on a trunk road would materially increase as a result of new development, we will also continue to ensure that those responsible for the development pay for any highway works needed to cater for the resulting extra traffic.
I am nevertheless concerned that the additional costs imposed on developers under this policy have sometimes been excessive. In some cases, this has led to much-needed investment being lost altogether. I have therefore today issued new guidelines on the principles which the Highways Agency will adopt when considering development proposals affecting trunk roads. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Of particular importance is that developers will in future be expected to pay only for improvements necessary to ensure that conditions on the trunk road are, as far as possible, no worse than if the development had not taken place. Other changes affect the design life of developer-funded highway works; and introduce greater flexibility to take account of environmental concerns and existing constraints on the network, and the potential to increase the use of public transport, cycling and walking.
I am confident that the new guidelines will significantly reduce burdens on intending developers and encourage sustainable development while maintaining effective protection for the most important trunk roads.
Mr. Chris Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what occasions in the past five years his Department has issued advice intended to reduce the danger of road traffic accidents attributable to lost wheels to (a) manufacturers and (b) operators of heavy commercial vehicles. [35241]
Mr. Norris:
At the Institute of Road Transport Engineers conference in May 1991, my Department launched a pamphlet dealing with the subject of wheel loss and giving advice to operators.
We are in constant contact with manufacturers and operator's trade associations on this problem through my Department's representation on the British Standards Institution committee for wheels and tyres and other forums.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the impact on the public sector borrowing requirement of the Dartford-Thurrock river crossings in each year since 1988. [35830]
Mr. Watts
[holding answer 8 July 1996]: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. D. N. Campbell-Savours, dated 10 July 1996:
10 Jul 1996 : Column: 207
(11) To the end of June.
These are net totals as some expenditure incurred by the Department of Transport has been offset by contributions by Dartford River Crossing Ltd.
The above totals not only include works costs on the three river crossings but also on related project work such as traffic control systems, toll booths and works on the approach roads.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce the regulations to apply section 20A of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991, covering compensation to mobile home owners. [36326]
Mr. Watts:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Cheadle (Mr. Day) on 25 April, Official Report, column 248.
Sir Keith Speed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he had received by 1 July about the Central Railway plc proposal to build a new railway; and how many were (a) in favour and (b) against. [36479]
10 Jul 1996 : Column: 208
Mr. Watts:
Some 13,650 representations have been received, of which about 200 support the proposal and 13,450 are opposed. These figures include representations which, having regard to the postal dispute or certain other considerations, have been accepted as valid although they were received after 1 July.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will commission a survey of the wages of catering staff in privatised rail franchises. [36170]
Mr. Allen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher), of 17 June, Official Report, column 342, what statistical information relating to Merchant Navy seafarers was discontinued; when his Department decided to discontinue the collection and publication of these statistics and for what reasons; if the decision was announced to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [36356]
Mr. Norris:
The statistics no longer published were based on the Merchant Navy Establishment, a register, maintained by the General Council of British Shipping. The register was a list of seafarers available for employment under National Maritime Board agreements. The Merchant Navy Establishment was discontinued in September 1990, following six months' consultation between the General Council of British Shipping and the trade unions. As the statistics were a by-product of a register held outside Government for non-statistical reasons, no announcement was made to Parliament.
Severity 1993 1994 1995
Fatal 7 11 9
Serious 116 103 119
Slight 394 376 383
All severities 517 490 511
Severities 1993 1994 1995
Final 0 0 0
Serious 6 4 9
Slight 39 27 44
All severities 45 31 53
Severity 1993 1994 1995
Fatal 8 19 11
Serious 139 150 173
Slight 684 649 662
All severities 831 818 846
As you know, the Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking about the impact on the public sector borrowing requirement of the Dartford-Thurrock river crossings in each year since 1988.
The impact on the PSBR of the Dartford-Thurrock river crossings can be shown by the net expenditure incurred by the Department of Transport/Highways Agency since 1988 and is as follows.
£000s
1988-89 1,105.7
1989-90 3,717.3
1990-91 22,804.5
1991-92 20,486.6
1992-93 6,327.7
1993-94 4,051.2
1994-95 4,993.8
1995-96 2,502.6
1996-97 (11)116.8
Total 66,106.2
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